This invention relates to magnetic induction type pickups for stringed musical instruments, and deals more particularly with an improved mounting system for attaching such a pickup to the body of an instrument.
Magnetic induction type pickups for stringed musical instruments are ones which are conventionally mounted beneath and close to the strings of an instrument and wherein, as a string vibrates, the reluctance of an associated flux path through the pickup is varied to produce a varying magnetic flux which in turn induces a varying electrical output voltage in an associated coil. Thee output signal is then amplified, and perhaps also distorted and modified in various different ways, to produce an output signal driving one or more electro-acoustical speakers. Sometimes, the performer is located so close to the speakers, and the sound level from the speakers is so great, that the sound vibrations in the air set up vibrations in the instrument body which are fed back through the body to the electrical pickup to vibrate the pickup and to thereby establish a positive feedback conditions producing microphonics or squeal in the speaker output. Also, as the instrument is played, it is subject to various knocks or blows from the performers' hands or other objects, and vibrations from these impacts are also often transmitted to the pickup to produce an undesirable audible response from the speakers.
The general object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a mounting system for an electrical pickup in a stringed musical instrument whereby transmission of vibrations from the instrument body to the pickup is minimized to reduce undesirable microphonics and other noise in the associated speaker output.
A further object of the invention is to provide a pickup mounting system for a stringed musical instrument which is of a relatively low cost, of a simplified and easily assembled construction and which allows for adjustably raising and lowering the pickup or tilting it about various different axes to vary its position relative to the strings.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and from the following description thereof.